Eccellenza di Toscana, the Twentieth anniversary edition

On 4 and 5 December, five exclusive Masterclasses of Italian and international wines are added to the tastings benches of more than 900 wines selected in the AIS Vitae Guide 2022

L'Eccellenza di Toscana turns twenty and offers a return to its origins. After months of restrictions due to Covid, the most important event of the year for AIS Tuscany replace in early December, in the now historic location of the Stazione Leopolda in Florence. Finally, an opportunity to return to live the event with the distinguish spirit of sharing and comparison that has, a real space where the best Tuscan wines, selected by the Guide AIS Vitae 2022, return to be appreciated live. More than 100 producers present at the edition of the Twentieth Anniversary of the Excellence of Tuscany with about 900 labels of the Granducato in the tasting benches.

MASTERCLASS
Protagonists are the Masterclasses led by the Best Sommeliers of Italy 2018 and 2019 Simone Loguercio and Valentino Tesi. One of them is the exclusive vertical of five vintages of Viña Tondonia Tinto Reserva, an immortal red from Rioja Alta produced by the historic Bodega Lopez De Heredia. Among the others, there are also the Masterclass about TrentoDoc, proposed in the two most loved types, Pas Dosé and Riserva. And the Masterclass Il valore del tempo, an enological journey back in time starting from the new millennium in Alto Adige with the Pinot Bianco Riserva Vorberg 2003 to continue in the 1990s with the immortal Chianti Classico, Il Poggio 1995 Castello di Monsanto. With two decades leap we go to Chianti Rufina for the 1973 Selvapiana Reserve and then we go down to the South, with two icons: Marsala Superiore Oro Riserva 1987 De Bartoli and Vernaccia di Oristano Antico Gregori 1976 Contini. The Masterclass on Romanian wines of Domeniul Bogdan and on the first biodynamic wine of the area between Danube and Black Sea Patrar, will be held by sommelier Daniele Palavisini, together with enologist Leonello Anello.

SPECIAL APPOINTMENTS
Among the "special" appointments of the edition of the Twentieth Anniversary, there is also the tasting of the ancient wine of the sea Nesos, the enological experiment - unique in the world - of vinification in terracotta amphorae, made by Antonio Arrighi in Elba Island, retracing after 2500 years the myth of the wine of Chios. Leading it - together with Arrighi himself - is Massimo Castellani, also the protagonist of the presentation of the book he wrote "A dream in Burgundy", conducted by AIS Toscana President Cristiano Cini and followed by the awarding of the Osvaldo Baroncelli Prize, in memory of the historical president recently passed away.

TASTING SCHOOLS
In addition to the historical Wine School for newcomers to wine tasting, there will also be the Oil Schoolorganized by the Consortium for the Protection of Tuscan Extra Virgin Olive Oil PGI - which will have its own space at the Leopolda - together with an AIS Oil Sommelier for beginners in the technique of tasting and sensory analysis of extra virgin olive oil. New entries include the three new tasting schools Spirit School, Balsamic School and Coffee School, dedicated respectively to the vast world of spirits, to Balsamic Vinegar of Modena - organized by the Consortium - and to coffee, organized by B-Farm.

STREET FOOD
In the Eccellenza di Toscana del Ventennale, there is also an area in the Piazzale della Stazione Leopolda used as a tasting path for the most significant Street Food operators in Tuscany, as a tribute to the street food that, since the dawn of our civilization, keeps the identity of the territories alive today.

BLIND TASTING CONTEST FOR EVERYONE
For all the days of the event is open the Wine Contest, aimed at AIS members and simple fans called to guess a wine blind, whose award ceremony is placed at the end of the event together with that of the Award "Excellence of Tuscany", dedicated to those producers and companies of the territory that have distinguished themselves for innovation, tradition, communication and business ethics.

MORE INFO
The detailed program with schedules, admission costs and single tastings is available on the websites www.aistoscana.it and www.eccellenzaditoscana.it; for the tastings, it is necessary to book online on the platform "ASI Education" which can be found on the official websites and social networks of AIS Toscana and Eccellenza di Toscana. In addition to the event broadcast live for the first time, it is possible to consult the digital catalog of producers (upon registration on the DOP platform).